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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · wax · fan · bay · pitch · kick

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. suit — in cards
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wax — to grow
  18. kick — in football

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com